Swedish Ways
All I have to say about the above video is "too much!". Rob is obsessed with his white and nerdy status. I thought I would discuss our immigrant adventures here in Sweden. It is interesting to be an immigrant. We feel we are not permenant immigrants as others who are looking to remain here and have a life. Also, we have been taken care of by Rob's work so well that we really have not had the hardships of others that come from more impoverished environments. But, it is truly a great experience to see how hard it is to set up and understand the basic infrasture in another culture.
The bank has been one challenge here. Bank hours are from 10-3 Mon through Fri. So, if you have a job that is inflexible, I am not sure what people do. We used Rob's ATM the other day and it ate the card. I went into the bank and they relayed that if the wrong pin is entered three times, not at once, not in the same day, but ever, then it takes the card and we must order a new one. So, that process takes what they say is 4 days. But, I can't say I believe this because I ordered a card at our last place and it never came in two or three weeks. I canceled that because we moved and had just ordered a new one to our new place two days before the machine ate Rob's card. So, we are fine as we can go into the bank to get $ and have credit and things, but what about those people that do not speak English to understand this and have no extra money, etc. Another interesting note is that their ATM card is called a "Visa card" and a credit card is called a "Mastercard". Weird huh. So, they were confused with I spoke of getting a debit card and finally figured out "oh, a visa card". I think they may have a heart attack if I were to show them my American visa card and tell them it is a credit card. How could it be!
Another difference is table manners. People are very well mannered here. Saniya's school has "Dinner" at noon. They set the table, get the food from the kitchen and take the dishes to the table. They all sit and pass the dishes to the left and wait until all are served to begin eating. They cut their food and pour water from the pitcher. They wait until everyone at the table is done and then everyone gets up together. Food is served in courses. The first couse, salad, is eaten and then cleared. Then the main meal is served. The children will take a serving and then wait until all are done with the first servings to send the plate around for a second serving. Also, one would never take the last spoonful off the serving plate unless they were the last in turn at the table during the second go around. It is orderly and there is polite table conversation. The children are all just turning three to less than four. Amazing to me. I recently went to a party at Rob's work. It was the same way. It was casual, but the dining was very structured. It was a buffet, but people would go up for a first serving and then after everyone was finished, then they spoke of going to a second helping if we liked. Then as it was a buffet and at home there would just be a desert area. Not so in Sweden. Desert is announced after dinner is over. Then the desert is put out on a buffet table and everyone gets a piece and it is expected to all sit again and eat together with coffee. So, it is the courses that are very ordered. Also, when someone would speak everyone in the room would stop eating, put down their silverware and drinks and look at the person talking. The differences are subtle in some ways and exteme in others. With the kids it was a very different feeling than the chaos at home when we have a bunch of kids together. With the adults, it was more subtle, but still noticable.
I just returned from the laundry room so it is on my mind. The way a communal laundry is organized here is very different than at home. First off, there is an appointment calendar and you sign up to use a specific washer. Some places have keys that allow you to move the calendar button to the date and time you want, other places have just a sign up and you write in your apt. #. The washers are also free. In all of the places we have been there are no coin machines. So, that is really great. You go at your appointed time to wash and dry. I love it.
Laundry is free, but the bathroom costs $. Another oddity is that if you use the toilet in a restaurant or store or wherever it is common that you insert money in a box on the door to open and use it. If it is a business or restaurant and you just go in and ask to use it, they charge you 5 kronor ($.75). Sometimes even in cafes or stores where you are dining or buying something the bathroom will still cost $ and there will be a sign to pay up front or a coin box on the door to let you in. Kind of different. As, Saniya uses the bathroom alot, we know all about the toilet or "toalleter" situation here.
So, as we learn about these Swedish people, we realize we know less and less.
Yaz
The bank has been one challenge here. Bank hours are from 10-3 Mon through Fri. So, if you have a job that is inflexible, I am not sure what people do. We used Rob's ATM the other day and it ate the card. I went into the bank and they relayed that if the wrong pin is entered three times, not at once, not in the same day, but ever, then it takes the card and we must order a new one. So, that process takes what they say is 4 days. But, I can't say I believe this because I ordered a card at our last place and it never came in two or three weeks. I canceled that because we moved and had just ordered a new one to our new place two days before the machine ate Rob's card. So, we are fine as we can go into the bank to get $ and have credit and things, but what about those people that do not speak English to understand this and have no extra money, etc. Another interesting note is that their ATM card is called a "Visa card" and a credit card is called a "Mastercard". Weird huh. So, they were confused with I spoke of getting a debit card and finally figured out "oh, a visa card". I think they may have a heart attack if I were to show them my American visa card and tell them it is a credit card. How could it be!
Another difference is table manners. People are very well mannered here. Saniya's school has "Dinner" at noon. They set the table, get the food from the kitchen and take the dishes to the table. They all sit and pass the dishes to the left and wait until all are served to begin eating. They cut their food and pour water from the pitcher. They wait until everyone at the table is done and then everyone gets up together. Food is served in courses. The first couse, salad, is eaten and then cleared. Then the main meal is served. The children will take a serving and then wait until all are done with the first servings to send the plate around for a second serving. Also, one would never take the last spoonful off the serving plate unless they were the last in turn at the table during the second go around. It is orderly and there is polite table conversation. The children are all just turning three to less than four. Amazing to me. I recently went to a party at Rob's work. It was the same way. It was casual, but the dining was very structured. It was a buffet, but people would go up for a first serving and then after everyone was finished, then they spoke of going to a second helping if we liked. Then as it was a buffet and at home there would just be a desert area. Not so in Sweden. Desert is announced after dinner is over. Then the desert is put out on a buffet table and everyone gets a piece and it is expected to all sit again and eat together with coffee. So, it is the courses that are very ordered. Also, when someone would speak everyone in the room would stop eating, put down their silverware and drinks and look at the person talking. The differences are subtle in some ways and exteme in others. With the kids it was a very different feeling than the chaos at home when we have a bunch of kids together. With the adults, it was more subtle, but still noticable.
I just returned from the laundry room so it is on my mind. The way a communal laundry is organized here is very different than at home. First off, there is an appointment calendar and you sign up to use a specific washer. Some places have keys that allow you to move the calendar button to the date and time you want, other places have just a sign up and you write in your apt. #. The washers are also free. In all of the places we have been there are no coin machines. So, that is really great. You go at your appointed time to wash and dry. I love it.
Laundry is free, but the bathroom costs $. Another oddity is that if you use the toilet in a restaurant or store or wherever it is common that you insert money in a box on the door to open and use it. If it is a business or restaurant and you just go in and ask to use it, they charge you 5 kronor ($.75). Sometimes even in cafes or stores where you are dining or buying something the bathroom will still cost $ and there will be a sign to pay up front or a coin box on the door to let you in. Kind of different. As, Saniya uses the bathroom alot, we know all about the toilet or "toalleter" situation here.
So, as we learn about these Swedish people, we realize we know less and less.
Yaz
posted by Yaz and Rob at 9:44 AM
1 Comments:
good stories....when I visit I will bring my dirty clothes. So great, free laundry!
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